Christmas Bulb Planters That Keep on Giving

With Christmas only just around the corner its time to get creative, and for the garden minded fantastic gifts can be easily and cheaply made from a variety of bulbs. By creating a gift incorporating both seasonal and forced bulbs, a beautiful and cheerful present can be given which will continue to inspire for months to come. Layering bulbs which flower at different periods of the year will provide a constantly changing gift, and not only is it a cheap present to make, it is also extremely easy.

Whilst the main part of the bulb planter can be created at any time, some thought must be given to the forced bulbs if they are to be in flower for Christmas. A range of fantastic specimens can be used, and depending on your personal taste and who the gift is for, different bulbs may suit better than others. However, with a significant chill period needed for many bulbs you must make sure that there is enough time to get these specimens to flower. Some species such as Hyacinths can be bought ready-chilled. Alternatively, amaryllis or Paper White daffodils do not need a chill period and can be forced immediately.

Forcing bulbs is fundamentally a process of recreating their natural growing conditions, where the chill period simulates the cooler winter months before spring starts. With bulbs that do not require a chill period, simply plant bulbs in pots following their instructions and place on a warm windowsill out of direct sunlight. Keep the soil moist, and once shoots have reached a height of between four and five inches, move the pot to a direct sunlight aspect. This will encourage flowers to appear, and at a stage where color can be noticed through the bud, move the plant back into a place with indirect sunlight to keep plants healthy in the run up to Christmas Day.

Preparing the main part of the gift is easily done at any time, and requires a pot, compost, and a variety of spring bulbs. Snowdrops, crocuses, daffodils, and tulips are fantastic bulbs to use, and for those who want continued color throughout the year, alliums, iris’, and even lily’s can be used. Creating the pot is a simple case of layering bulbs through the pot as per their planting instructions. A couple of pieces of broken crockery should be placed at the bottom of the pot to aid drainage, before putting in the first layer of soil. Daffodil bulbs often require the deepest planting level and so are normally the first specimens to go in. Place bulbs inside the pot so that they are not touching each other or the sides, and have their root node pointing down. Cover them with a layer of soil and pat down firmly before moving onto the next layer. Depending on the species being used this may be tulips or alliums, and as before place the bulbs on the soil surface before covering over with another layer. Continue this process until all the bulbs have been incorporated into the pot at the depth level they require. The final levels will be of snowdrops and crocuses which can be planted in large numbers to really create a stunning show in the first few months of the year.

Finishing off this wonderful Christmas gift is easy, simply transplanting the previously forced bulbs to the top of the pot so that there are some flowers for the festive season. Whilst compost can look lovely as it is, covering with a thin layer of pebbles, recycled and smoothed glass, or even marbles can add a bit of glitz to this gift.

Home-made and created to allow stunning color over a lengthy period of time, such a gift is fantastic for Christmas. Forced bulbs will bring a splash of color even on the dullest of wintery days, and before long the pot will really start to work its magic, surprising individuals every time a wonderful new show of flowers appear.

photo by muffet

Posted by Geoff Wakeling on November 13 2010. Filed under Contributors.
Geoff Wakeling is a London gardener, blogger and a guest writer for Brookside Patio Furniture, which specializes in wicker patio furniture.